Archive for November, 2011

Below is an excerpt of an article in CiNews about a new initiative one Dublin parish is instigating to try and help unemployed people in its area.

“In a sign of the times, and a demonstration of the fact that the church wants to play its part in helping people in these very difficult times, a meeting was held last evening at the monastery of St Paul of the Cross, Mount Argus in Dublin, mother house of the Passionist Province and a parish in the Dublin Archdiocese, to explore how the parish might come together to help those who are unemployed.

The genesis of the idea began with homilies prepared separately by the two priests of the parish, Frs Frank Keevins, cp and Ignatius Waters, cp, on the topic of unemployment. One thing led to another and last evening, about thirty-five people came together for the first of what will clearly be a series of meetings.

In his opening remarks, Fr Frank spoke his own childhood in Glasgow, of his father being made redundant and subsequently, having to find work in northern England, work, which, with its stresses of being away from home and travelling back and forth each weekend, eventually killed him from a heart attack. Fr Frank himself experienced unemployment before he answered his vocational call to join the Passionists.

Fr Ignatius on the other, although never being unemployed, spoke of how his life has been affected by meeting those who have suffered in this way.

The meeting was led by Tony Bolger, who focus on the need to do something ensured that the evening became a worthwhile experience for those who attended.”

Below is an excerpt from an article from the Catholic News Service about the Pope switching on the worlds largest electronic Christmas tree using an iPad.

“With a tap on an iPad, Pope Benedict XVI will light the world’s largest electronic Christmas tree in the Italian town of Gubbio without having to leave his home in Vatican City.
The City of Gubbio and the Diocese of Gubbio announced at a news conference Nov. 12 that the pope would light the tree via a video link set up by the Vatican Television Center. The tree-lighting ceremony takes place on the evening of Dec. 7, the eve of the Immaculate Conception.

From his apartment in Vatican City, the pope will turn on the tree using an application on the iPad 2.”

Below is an excerpt from an article in CiNews about the intention of the Association of Catholic Priests (ACP) to hold a national assembly of the Irish Church next year, with particular focus of the assembly being reform.

“The Association of Catholic Priests (ACP) has announced it intends organising a national assembly of the Irish Church in Dublin next year.

According to ACP spokesman, Fr Brendan Hoban, the focus of the assembly will be reform. “The ACP has a specific platform of reform and we believe that there are many other groups, clerical and lay, who share that platform and share our belief that we need to be proactive in forwarding that,” he told the English Catholic weekly, The Tablet, during the week.

He added, “The crumbling of our Church in so many different ways demands a clear response.”

At a meeting of the ACP leadership on November 3, it was decided that the Association would initiate the process of organising an assembly, to take place on May 1 2012 at a venue in Dublin. “We aim to meet with interested parties sometime in January to plan the details of the event,” the ACP leadership has stated.

The ACP, which has a membership of 535 priests in Ireland, believes that in cooperation with other lay and clerical groups, it has the ability and energy to create a platform for change. Fr Hoban said that while the ACP is not attempting to organise a synod, which had specific ramifications in Canon Law, they did plan to assemble representatives of the Irish Church to debate key issues.”

Below is an excerpt of CiNews report about President McAleeses last official engagement, the opening of a refurbished building at a St. Vincent de Paul Hostel in Dublin.

“President McAleese spent her last day in office as President, as she had spent her first fourteen years ago – building bridges.

Speaking after she opened a refurbished building at the St Vincent de Paul Hostel near Christchurch Cathedral in Dublin, the much-loved president of 14 years, said her emotions were of gratitude and sadness.

“If you give me two seconds I’ll be in floods of tears, but I don’t want to do that in public. On the one hand it’s a sad day to be leaving, in particular to be leaving such a great team at the Áras, but I also have a great sense of gratitude.”

“It was just a wonderful, wonderful opportunity to waken up every morning, to be the country ‘s primary ambassador,” said President McAleese, who officially left Áras an Uachtaráin yesterday, to make way for President-elect Michael D. Higgins, who is to be inaugurated today.

During her final address as President, she recalled her own brief experience of homelessness for a brief period in 1971, when her family, parents and nine children, lost their home “literally overnight.”

“I remember the awful sense of dread, waking up every morning not knowing where you were going to be sleeping, being farmed out among relatives. But one of the strongest memories of that period is how reliant we were on the goodness and the generosity of other people. And the other important thing was how easily available it was to us.”

Below is an excerpt from an article by CiNews regarding the 170th anniversary of the death of Catherine McAuley, the founder of the Sisters of Mercy.

“On the unique date of 11/11/11 the worldwide community of Catherine McAuley, founder of the Sisters of Mercy, is celebrating the 170th anniversary of her death.

During Catherine’s last days, her concern was for those around her, and she spoke of the future of the Institute.

“If the Order be my work, the sooner it falls to the ground, the better; if it is God’s work it needs no one,” she said of the future.

“Preserve union and peace. Do this and your happiness will be so great as to cause you to wonder. My legacy to the Institute is charity,” she said to those around her deathbed according to Sheila Carney RSM who has written of Catherine’s final messages and their relevance for today.

In Ireland on Friday November 11, the 170th anniversary is being marked with a continuous ‘Good Cup of Tea’ and scones at Mercy International Centre from 10:00am to 2:30pm. Mass will be celebrated at 3:00pm in the Chapel at Baggot Street and followed by afternoon tea (donations accepted).”

Below is an excerpt from CathNews about a partnership between the Vatican and a US biotech company to promote the use of adult stem cells rather than embryonic stem cells.

The Vatican has entered into a partnership with a small US biotech company to promote using adult stem cells for treating disease, rather than focusing research on embryonic stem cells, said an AP report in the Age.

The Vatican’s culture office and NeoStem Inc., on Tuesday provided details for this week’s conference at the Vatican on adult stem cells, which will draw scientists, patients, biotech CEOs and cardinals together.

The conference and partnership with New York-based NeoStem is part of the Vatican’s recent $1 million, five-year initiative to promote adult stem cell therapies and research, and in the process shift popular attention away from embryonic research.

Former US President George W. Bush’s health secretary, Tommy Thompson, a panellist at the conference, told reporters Tuesday that science had moved beyond destroying embryos.

Below is an excerpt from an article by CiNews regarding the resignation of the Bishop of Derry Dr Seamus Hegarty due to illness.

“The Bishop of Derry Dr Seamus Hegarty has announced he is standing down from his role due to health reasons.

In a statement issued on Monday, the 71-year-old bishop asked “for prayers at this time,” and said he had received a diagnosis, “of a condition which is, unfortunately, irreversible and progressive.” He said he was currently receiving treatment for the condition.

He explained that his medical assessment indicated that he is “no longer able to fulfil the role of diocesan bishop” due to his medical condition. Dr Hegarty submitted his letter of resignation as Bishop of Derry to the Pope over the past few days.”

Below is an excerpt from an article in CiNews outlining some of the key concerns of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul ahead of Decembers budget.

The Society of Saint Vincent De Paul (SVP) has told the government that those people getting help from the charity have no more to give the Government in next December’s budget.

Launching the organisation’s Pre-budget submission, SVP President Mairead Bushnell said that there was palpable worry and uncertainty about the Budget among people on social welfare and low pay.

Noting that demand for its services has almost doubled in the last three years she said, “People we employ to answer the phones are suffering real stress from nine o’clock until five o’clock because they are hearing one story which is worse than another. One-parent families and other households with children, people living alone, migrants and some self-employed are particularly vulnerable.”

She added, “It has been a long time since SVP volunteers were in homes where there was not enough food, clothes or shoes. We dealt with that in the late 1970′s and early 1980′s and thought it was gone forever. It’s back now.”

After first opening its doors in 1833, St. Peters parish, Lurgan was forced to temporarily close in August 2009 to facilitate extensive renovation works. This included a new roof and heating system as well as new floors, walls and seating.

This weekend, after 27 months of refurbishment and renovation works, St. Peters parish will be opening its doors again on Sunday 6th November. The ceremony will begin with a procession of representatives of local schools and organisations, from the temporary church to St. Peters. Bishop McAreavey will take part in the rededication ceremony, which will take place during a con-celebrated mass, starting at 3.00pm. Refreshments will take place afterwards in St. Peters GAA club.

For the first time, it will be possible to view services from St. Peters streamed live on the internet. New cameras have been installed that will allow people at home and abroad to view mass, novenas, weddings and funerals in St. Peters, as they happen.

Below is an extract from CiNews about the closure of our Embassy to the Holy See, one of Ireland’s oldest missions.

“The Primate of All Ireland has expressed his “profound disappointment” over the Government’s decision to close its embassy to the Holy See, in a cost-cutting exercise that will also see the embassy in Iran and its representative office in Timor Leste shut.

In a statement issued in response to the announcement on Thursday by the Government, Cardinal Seán Brady said the decision seemed to show little regard for the important role played by the Holy See in international relations and of the historic ties between the Irish people and the Holy See over many centuries. The Catholic Primate said, “Many others will share this disappointment.”

He added this decision meant “Ireland will be without a resident ambassador to the Holy See for the first time since diplomatic relations were established and envoys were exchanged between the two States in 1929.”

Announcing the decision, Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore said it was made “with the greatest regret and reluctance.” He said the decision followed a review of overseas missions by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, “which gave particular attention to the economic return from bilateral missions.”

Acknowledging that the Embassy to the Holy See is one of Ireland’s oldest missions, the Tánaiste underlined that “it yields no economic return.”